WATER LINE STUDY APPROVED

October 23, 2012

By

LAURA CARPENTER

DERBY LINE â€“ The Derby Line Village Trustees have agreed to do a study of the water system on Elm Street. The engineering firm of Aldrich and Elliott will conduct the $15,800 study as soon as possible.
A no-interest, five-year loan through the Agency of Natural Resources will fund the study. Ultimately, the system's rate payers will have to pay for the study and the eventual upgrades.
Derby Line officially owns the water system, even though parts of Elm Street are in the Town of Derby. Derby wants to participate in the upgrade, Brian Smith, chair of the Derby Select Board, told Derby Line trustees at a recent meeting.
The preliminary engineering study will be performed to evaluate the existing conditions, identify potential improvements, prepare cost estimates, and evaluate available funding sources.
The study will also evaluate potential alternative routes for the pipelines, which currently run under the newer sidewalk, and sizes to improve the flow and pressure. Other evaluations will determine deficiencies that need to be prioritized for improvement.
The cost to upgrade the system on Elm Street is unknown, but the study will answer many questions, Elliot explained.
A fire over the summer on Elm Street raised concerns about the system. Firefighters did not have adequate water flow and pressure, which hindered their effort in putting the fire out. The incident also raised concerns for Derby Elementary School, located on Elm Street.
The pipeline is four inches in some areas and inadequate, said Fire Chief Craig Ellam.
The school does not have a sprinkler system now but is considering a major expansion, Ellam said. The new construction would require a sprinkler system. The school does have fire resistant doors and halls.